DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Regency TR1 by I.D.E.A.
| Date of introduction: | Oct. 25, 1954 | Display technology: | |
| New price: | $49.95 | Display size: | |
| Size: | 3.0" x 5.0" x 1.2" | ||
| Weight: | 12 ounces | Serial No: | 01205 |
| Batteries: | Eveready 412 (22.5V) | Date of manufacture: | 1955 |
| AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | USA | |
| Precision: | Integrated circuits: | 4 Ge transistors | |
| Memories: | |||
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Kirk B.Muri |
On May 10, 1954 Texas Instruments announced a
revolutionay new electronic product, the silicon transistor. Searching for a
killer application, TI developed the first commercial available miniaturized
transistor radio marketed as the Regency
TR1. Read the press
release, dated October 18, 1954.
The first commercial transistor radio hit the consumer market in
October, 1954. The Regency TR-1 featured four germanium transistors operating on a
22.5-volt battery that provided over twenty hours of life (tube radios with batteries only lasted several hours at
best). Several colors were initially offered in the plastic case: black, ivory, mandarin red, cloud
gray, mahogany and olive green. Fashion iridescent colors were offered later and
rare clear plastic cases also were made.
Inside
the TR1 you'll find not only the transistors manufactured by Texas Instruments,
the transformer is a Dallas product, too.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.